China's CPC Central Committee Concludes Session, Reviews 14th Five-Year Plan and Outlines 15th

CPC Central Committee Convenes Fourth Plenary Session

The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) convened its fourth plenary session in Beijing from October 20 to 23, 2025. The pivotal meeting saw 168 members and 147 alternate members of the Central Committee in attendance, alongside other key officials and observers. The session, presided over by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, included important addresses and a work report delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping.

The primary agenda involved a comprehensive review of the achievements made during the outgoing 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) and the formulation of proposals for the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030).

Achievements of the 14th Five-Year Plan Highlighted

Participants at the session gave a highly positive assessment of China's development achievements during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, noting that the major objectives and tasks are 'on the verge of accomplishing' or 'about to be successfully completed'. Key areas of progress include:

• Economic Growth: China's GDP is projected to reach 140 trillion yuan by 2025, with an average annual growth rate of 5.5%. The country contributed approximately 30% to global economic expansion.
• Technological Innovation: Innovation was elevated to unprecedented importance, with R&D expenditure exceeding 3.6 trillion yuan in 2024, marking a 48% increase since 2020. China entered the top 10 of the Global Innovation Index for the first time. Significant breakthroughs were made in core technologies, industrial upgrading, and green transformation, including the construction of 4.6 million 5G base stations.
• Social Development: Over 12 million new urban jobs were created annually, and the urban-rural income gap narrowed from 2.56:1 in 2020 to 2.34:1 in 2024. More than 11 million affordable housing units were built.
• Environmental Protection: China established 6,340 nationally certified green factories and now operates the world's largest renewable energy infrastructure. Exports of wind and solar products contributed to a reduction of about 4.1 billion tonnes in global carbon emissions.
• Opening Up: Foreign direct investment surpassed US$700 billion, exceeding the plan's target ahead of schedule, and the manufacturing sector was fully opened to global investors in 2024.

Proposals for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030)

The session adopted the 'Recommendations of the CPC Central Committee for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development'. The upcoming plan, covering 2026 to 2030, is deemed a critical stage for achieving socialist modernization by 2035. Key objectives and focus areas include:

• High-Quality Development: This remains a central theme, aiming for significant advancements across all sectors.
• Technological Self-Reliance and Innovation: A strong emphasis will be placed on achieving substantial improvements in scientific and technological self-reliance and strength. This includes strengthening original innovation and making breakthroughs in core technologies, particularly in areas like Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum computing, and aerospace exploration.
• Modern Industrial System: The plan prioritizes building a modern industrial system with advanced manufacturing at its core, accelerating development in manufacturing, quality, aerospace, transportation, and the internet.
• Green Transition: China aims for a green industrial revolution, with non-fossil energy expected to account for approximately 25% of primary energy consumption. The 'Beautiful China Initiative' will see accelerated green transitions across all sectors.
• Digital Development: Further advancement of digital development, expanding 5G/6G integrated networks, and establishing data as a key economic resource are also priorities.
• People's Livelihoods: The plan seeks to continuously improve the quality of people's lives, enhance social security, public services, and promote regional equality.

Looking Ahead

The recommendations adopted at the plenary session will guide the drafting of the full 15th Five-Year Plan outline, which is expected to be submitted for formal approval at the National People's Congress in March 2026. This strategic blueprint is anticipated to reinforce China's position as a crucial anchor of stability and a source of opportunities for the global economy.